


Prayer

by fluffywambler



Series: Sasha Hawke [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Bigotry & Prejudice, Ficlet, Gen, Mages (Dragon Age), Pre-Canon, Religion, Self-Hatred, Sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25743673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffywambler/pseuds/fluffywambler
Summary: Ten-year-old Bethany loves the Maker, despite what too many of his followers don't know about her. (Part of the Sasha Hawke continuity - purple/snarky double-daggers rogue.)
Series: Sasha Hawke [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1876231





	Prayer

Escorting her little sister to the Chantry isn't what Sasha Hawke wanted to do after the day's farm work was done -- that would be sneaking into the barn where Annie worked for a kiss, or further exploration if she was really lucky -- but there are much worse chores. Bethany is ten and has gotten more interested in religion of late, to Father's mild unease.

Bethany is praying silently, a meditation kind of praying that's even more boring to watch than the chanting kind. Sasha wanders off and peers idly at the books on the shelves, the candles, the statues. Then she overhears the conversation.

"I heard they caught a maleficar out in the woods," says one man in the pews. "Blood mage. Even summoned a demon."

"Wasn't there just some mage trying to kill the Divine in Val Royeaux?" another says.

"Why don't we just kill them all?" says a third man - and Bethany stiffens. 

"They're too dangerous to everybody else. I mean, they destroyed the Golden City!"

"Maybe if the Chantry killed them instead, the Maker would turn back to us."

Sasha's stomach turns over. _Please don't make it obvious_ , she thinks at Bethany, even as she aches for her.

There are two templars standing watch. One shoots a dirty look at the men casually discussing killing her sister and father. The other takes no notice, as if they'd been talking about selling cabbages.

Waiting long enough so no one is likely to connect the conversation with their departure is painful for Sasha, but no doubt agonizing for Bethany. Bethany still does it. She's always been the good one, the model child. Too good, almost.

Bethany is pale, shaking a little, and finally Sasha can't stand it any more and touches her shoulder gently. Bethany jumps a little -- then gratefully accepts Sasha's hand.

Once they're outdoors, Bethany huddles into herself and starts to cry. Sasha pulls her to a shadowed alley and holds her.

"It's what I pray for, most of the time," she whispers into Sasha's shoulder. "I want the Maker to take it away."

"It" needs no explanation. And Sasha feels tears prick her own eyes too, because the only way Bethany's prayer could ever be answered is a fate she can't even bear to think of.


End file.
